Virginia School Counselor
School counselors in Virginia earn a median salary of $67,350 per year and work with students from pre-K through 12th grade. The state projects 590 job openings annually through 2032 and employs around 8,810 school counselors statewide. You’ll need a master’s degree in school counseling, supervised fieldwork, and a Virginia license to practice.
Virginia Links
Virginia has a large school counselor workforce, with more than 8,800 professionals working across public and private schools from Northern Virginia to the Appalachian foothills. If you’re thinking about this career path in Virginia, here’s what the job looks like, what it pays, and where the openings are.
What School Counselors Do in Virginia
A high school senior in Fairfax County is applying to seven schools, hasn’t started her essays, and doesn’t know whether to pursue nursing or public health. Her school counselor has met with her three times this semester — once to map out a college list, once to work through financial aid questions, and once to talk through the anxiety that’s been making it hard to focus in class. That’s a pretty typical week.
Virginia school counselors work within a comprehensive program model that addresses students academically, socially, and emotionally. The Virginia Department of Education supports the ASCA National Model as the framework for school counseling programs, which means counselors are expected to deliver structured curriculum, respond to individual student crises, and work toward measurable student outcomes — not just be available when students stop by.
At the elementary level, the work looks different. A counselor might run classroom lessons on conflict resolution, check in with a second-grader whose home situation has shifted, and consult with a teacher about a student who seems to be struggling socially. At the middle school level, the focus shifts — academic planning, peer dynamics, and the first real conversations about high school and what comes after.
Virginia has adopted a career clusters framework, which groups occupations by industry to help students connect coursework to career pathways. School counselors often lead or co-lead this work, helping students explore options and develop academic plans aligned with their interests and goals. That integration of college and career readiness into the counselor’s role is consistent across the state.
The Virginia School Counselor Association supports professional development and advocacy for counselors statewide. Their resources are particularly useful if you’re navigating Virginia-specific policy questions or looking to connect with other counselors in the state.
Job Outlook in Virginia
Virginia projects 590 average annual openings for school counselors through 2032, driven by a combination of new positions and turnover from retirements and career changes. That’s a healthy pipeline for a state workforce of around 8,810 counselors. The state projects 5.1% employment growth over that period.
Northern Virginia — particularly Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William counties — tends to have the highest concentration of openings and the most competitive salaries, largely because those school districts are among the largest and relatively well-funded in the country. Outside the DC suburbs, Richmond, Virginia Beach, and Charlottesville also show steady hiring activity.
School Counselor Salary in Virginia
Virginia school counselors earn a median salary of $67,350 per year, according to BLS May 2024 data, above the national median of $65,140. Salaries vary considerably by region, with Northern Virginia counselors earning noticeably more than those in rural western districts.
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $43,120 |
| 25th | $54,070 |
| Median (50th) | $67,350 |
| 75th | $81,640 |
| 90th | $99,910 |
| Metro Area | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $76,230 |
| Richmond, VA | $68,630 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $69,820 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $66,520 |
| Roanoke, VA | $62,230 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $61,990 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024
- Strong job market — Virginia projects 590 school counselor openings per year through 2032, with 5.1% employment growth statewide.
- Above-average pay — The state median of $67,350 per year exceeds the national median of $65,140, with Northern Virginia salaries reaching considerably higher levels.
- Location matters — Counselors in the DC suburbs earn noticeably more than those in rural western Virginia, though cost-of-living differences narrow that gap.
- Real scope of practice — Virginia counselors work across academic planning, social-emotional support, crisis response, and college and career readiness within a structured program model.
Ready to explore your path to becoming a Virginia school counselor?
